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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23086396">How Not to Deal with Insomnia</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justanangryfangirl/pseuds/Justanangryfangirl'>Justanangryfangirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Guilt, Insomnia, Kind of OOC but like for plot reasons, Nightmares, Rapunzel is a Good Friend, Varian Has Issues (Disney), Varian Needs a Hug (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:35:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23086396</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justanangryfangirl/pseuds/Justanangryfangirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The best course of action after being kidnapped is to talk to someone about what happened. Of course, when has Varian ever been known to take the best course of action.<br/>Also known as the sick-fic I deserve</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rapunzel &amp; Varian (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>187</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>How Not to Deal with Insomnia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Varian sighed as he pushed his hair out of his eyes. He’d been working at creating a copy of the Demanitus Scroll for the Princess. Ever since his, excursion, as he’d been calling it, he had been burning both ends of the candle in an attempt to distract himself.</p>
<p>“I should really apologize to Arianna again. This getting kidnapped isn’t too fun…” he muttered to himself. “Well, at least Cassie didn’t take the queen…” </p>
<p>Varian yawned as he grabbed a new piece of paper. “On to page 2,” he said, before promptly falling over, fast asleep.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>He was back in Cassie’s, no, Cassandra’s tower. He wasn’t able to convince her that this was a bad idea. Instead she locked him up and dangled him over the edge to wait. </p>
<p>Whether he was waiting for Rapunzel or waiting to fall, he didn’t know. </p>
<p>Night fell and there was no sign of the princess. And it was cold.</p>
<p>Day broke, and no Princess.</p>
<p>By the third day, Varian realized no one was coming for him. And apparently, so did Cassandra. He was shaken out of his stupor by her quickly retracting the rock holding him back into the tower. She removed the cage and he fell to the ground, no longer being supported by anything.</p>
<p>“Well,” Cassandra began, “I guess I should’ve known that the Princess wouldn’t risk her life trying to save a traitor.”</p>
<p>“I’m not a traitor. I’m a-” Varian said before trailing off. Why would the Princess risk her life to save him? After all, isn’t this exactly what he did to her mother?</p>
<p>“Nothing to say, alchemist? Or did you finally realize that everything you say, everything you do, is just as worthless as you are. You can’t do anything right! And even when you think you’re helping the princess, you’re really just further betraying her. But hey, thanks for the incantation.”</p>
<p>Cassandra then grabbed the back of Varian’s vest and began dragging him to the edge. “And now that you’ve given me all you can, it’s time for me to clean up my mess. Goodbye traitor.” And with that, Cassandra dropped Varian off the edge. He fell for a moment before suddenly being caught. He looked up to thank his rescuer when, </p>
<p>“Hello Varian. Remember me?” said a familiar voice.</p>
<p>“Andrew…” Varian whispered.</p>
<p>“I always knew I’d get my revenge. And now there’s no princess to save you. She doesn’t care. In fact, I’m doing her a favor. Death to traitors, after all.” </p>
<p>Andrew let go and Varian resumed his fall. The ground was getting close. He closed his eyes waiting for impact. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>“I’m not a traitor!” Varian yelled, jolting up from his desk.</p>
<p>“I. I…” Vaarian muttered as he sank to the ground, all the while trying to hold back tears. “I’ve got to finish this. Got to prove myself…”</p>
<p>The next morning rolled around, just as Varian wrapped up copying the scoll. “There! I did it. And the princess should be by at noon to pick it up. That gives me time to...” Varian glanced at his bed before shaking his head rapidly “freshen up. Yeah. That’s the plan.” </p>
<p>He walked over to his mirror and started trying to tame his hair, to no avail. As he brushed it to the side, he saw the bruising on his temple and winced. He let his eyes wander over the rest of his face taking in the dry lips and sunken eyes. “Man, after this I really need to take a nap.”</p>
<p>He managed to make himself and his lab look presentable before the princess arrived. </p>
<p>“Good morning Varian! Or I suppose Good Afternoon. Did you sleep well last night?”</p>
<p>“I slept great Princess,” he lied, “And I have the scroll for you. Let me go grab it for you.”</p>
<p>As Varian turned to grab the scroll, his vision swam and he stumbled. He caught himself on his desk as Rapunzel yelled “Varain! Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah… I just have low iron. It’s no problem.”</p>
<p>“Okay... “ she said, unconvinced. “Well I have another project for you. I’m super excited for this one! I had an idea for a chemical that could separate the salt from the sea water. That way we could use it during Corona’s dry season. Do you think you could make something that could do that?”</p>
<p>“Of course Princess. When can I expect you to drop by?”</p>
<p>“Well how about I come by in three days for a progress check? And Varian. Please call me Rapunzel. After all, we’re friends.”</p>
<p>Turning back to his lab, Varian started grabbing chemicals from the shelf, getting to work on Rapunzel's new project. “You see Varian,” he said to himself “If you can make yourself useful, then the princess will totally come to rescue you again. You gotta make yourself worth all the trouble keeping you around causes.” </p>
<p>Around 5, Quirin knocked on the door of his son’s lab. </p>
<p>“Varian!” he called “you need to come to dinner. It’s not good to stay cooped up inside your lab.”</p>
<p>“Sorry dad! But I really can’t! The princess gave me an important project, and I can’t let her down.”</p>
<p>“Fine son. I’ll bring your dinner to your lab. I love you son.”</p>
<p>“Love you too dad.” Varian said before turning back to his work.</p>
<p>He didn’t have time for dinner. So when Rudiger found his plate, Varain let him have it. However, it wasn’t long before he fell asleep again.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>It was two years ago. Varian crashed into his lab. “Dad!” he yelled. “I couldn’t get the princess to help us. You gotta hang on just a bit- DAD!” His father was frozen in amber. And he looked furious. Furious that Varian hadn’t listened. Furious that his son had failed him.</p>
<p>“This is all my fault… No. This. This is her fault.” Varian said. “I swear dad. I’ll make them all pay.”</p>
<p>Varain had captured the queen and Rapunzel had come. And she couldn’t break the amber. His father was still trapped. And he was to be executed. </p>
<p>The day of his execution passed in a blur. He was led to the gallows. And as he scanned the crowd, all he saw was hate. Then he saw the princess. “You promised…” he whispered. </p>
<p>Suddenly she appeared beside him, hand on the lever. “You deserve this. You know you do.”</p>
<p>“I’m so-”</p>
<p>The last thing he heard was the cheering of the crowd. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Once again, Varian awoke with a start. Hand clutching his neck, he turned toward the place his father was entombed. Upon seeing it was empty, he took a few deep breaths before returning to his desk. He rolled his shoulders a couple times before sitting back down and picking up a pencil. “I gotta make it up to her…” he muttered. </p>
<p>After two more sleepless nights, he had a working prototype to show Rapunzel. She would be dropping by, once again, at noon. And that gave him only an hour to make sure the princess wouldn’t worry about him. After all, she had bigger problems. From Cassandra to daily princess things, she didn’t have time for an insomniac alchemist. </p>
<p>He caught another glimpse of himself in the mirror. The bruise from Cassandra’s kidnapping had turned to a sickly yellow. All the color had left his face, and his eyes seemed even furthur sunken. Plus he had a headache he couldn’t shake. He pulled his goggles down over his eyes, just hoping the princess wouldn’t ask. </p>
<p>Noon came and, right on time, Rapunzel knocked on the door to his lab.</p>
<p>“Come in!” he yelled.</p>
<p>Rapunzel pushed the door open and stepped into the lab. “Afternoon!” she said chipperly. “How are you?”</p>
<p>“Great.” he slurred.</p>
<p>“Are you sure? You're looking a little pale. Why won’t you take your goggles off?”</p>
<p>“Oh uh I’m gonna show you how my prototype works,” Varian said before running to grab the chemicals. He grabbed the vial, but before he could bring it to her, his vision swam. Badly. He lost his balance and was out before he hit the ground.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>He was on a platform. He looked down at his hands and saw they were chained together. </p>
<p>“Varain.” a voice called from the darkness “You stand accused of numerous crimes. How do you plead?”</p>
<p>Varian didn’t answer. </p>
<p>“Very well.” The voice called. “Bring forth the first witness.”</p>
<p>A woman stepped out from the black. Varian instantly recognized her. This was the first person hurt by his experiments. He had caused the collapse of part of her home when a reaction got out of hand. Luckily no one was hurt too badly, but it started a downward spiral. She recalled her story. Then another person stepped out of the black. Then another.</p>
<p>Soon, every person Varian had hurt was surrounding him. Cassandra accused him of failing to bring her back, the king and queen told their story. Even Eugene, who Varian had come to see as a surrogate older brother, stared at him with malice in his heart. Finally, Rapunzel and his father stepped out of the black. </p>
<p>“You kidnapped my mother. You tried to kill my family. You stole their memories and their kingdom. And then, even though I kept you around, you still betrayed me by giving Cassandra the incantation.”</p>
<p>All Quirin did was stare at him as he was slowly encased in amber again.</p>
<p>“You’re a traitor Varain.” Rapunzel said. “Look at all the people you’ve hurt. This is all your fault. You’re completely irremediable.”  </p>
<p>Cassandra lifted her hand, and the black spikes suddenly surrounded him. </p>
<p>“Please!” he yelled, “Please don’t I swear I’m sorry!”</p>
<p>“How do you plead!?!” all of Corona cried with one voice.</p>
<p>“Guilty…” he muttered. “I’m guilty.”</p>
<p>“He admits! And the punishment must be carried out.”</p>
<p>Cassandra raised her hand, and the black rocks ran him through. He began coughing, but instead of blood, black tar coated his lips. The sound of everyone he’d ever hurt chanting “Guilty” was bouncing around his skull. And all he could say was “I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>“Varian! You have to wake up!”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry!” Varian yelled, jolting awake.</p>
<p>“Ouch!” Rapunzel yelled stumbling back. “Oof. You got me good there,” she said as she pulled back her hand from her nose, revealing the blood dripping from it. “I’m sorry for startling you. Varian?” she said, suddenly concerned.</p>
<p>Varain was staring at her nose in horror. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. He suddenly started sobbing. “I’m so so sorry princess. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but that’s all I ever do. You should’ve just left me with Cassandra. At least then I wouldn’t be around to cause problems.”</p>
<p>Rapunzel threw her arms around the shaking teen. “Hey…” she murmured comfortingly, “It’s okay Varian. It was an accident. And I would never, ever, leave you with Cassandra. Or in any danger at all. I promise.”</p>
<p>“But how can you say that! After all I’ve done, how can you forgive me so easily?! I tried to kill your mom!”</p>
<p>Rapunzel’s face became serious, but she didn’t let go of Varain. “I know.” she said. “I never planned on forgiving you. I wanted you to get the help you needed, but I would’ve been fine to never see you again. And then when I saw you standing with the Saporians, I was furious.”</p>
<p>Rapunzel looked down to see that Varian’s sobs had increased. She pulled him closer and continued talking. “But then I saw how you reacted to the Saporians hurting people. Varian, you were willing to die to clean up your mess. And with the red rocks! You risked your life to save Corona! And when Cass captured you, you were so brave. I know it wasn’t your fault you gave up the incantation. Plus, you saved Eugene and I when you found the fourth incantation. Varian, I promise you. No one in Corona thinks you’re a traitor. No one in Corona thinks you deserve to suffer. They all know you’ve repaid your debt 10 times over.”</p>
<p>“Thank you… Rapunzel.”</p>
<p>“No Varian. Thank you. Now get some sleep… Varian?”</p>
<p>Rapunzel looked down to see Varian fast asleep, snoring slightly. She slightly repositioned him so his neck wouldn’t cramp and reached for her journal. </p>
<p>“Goodnight Varian.”</p>
<p>This time, when Cassandra, or Andrew, or that strange ghost girl paid Varian’s dreams a visit, he always had his friends standing with him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You know it's ironic, but I wrote this at 2 AM after forgetting to eat dinner. RIP to me I guess.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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